Bleacher Report - Articles by Rowanne Westhenry

Chelsea FC '08/'09 Season Review Part Three: Seconds Make Seasons

Rowanne Westhenry — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:29:40 -0400

April brought the first leg of the Champions' League Quarter Final with Liverpool at Anfield.

The Reds were ahead after six minutes with an admittedly superb Fernando Torres strike, and although Chelsea stepped up a gear, clear shots on goal were wasted time and again.

It had begun to look like the curse of Liverpool would strike again.

All that changed when on 39 minutes, centre half Branislav Ivanovic headed in from a Frank Lampard corner.

That goal changed the game and Chelsea began to completely dominate, with Gerrard being made to look like a Sunday league player by Michael Essien, who provided the most commanding display of man marking I have ever witnessed.

Chelsea took the lead on 62 minutes courtesy of another fine header from Ivanovic, plus some more sloppy defending by Liverpool.

Then Didier Drogba got a chance that he really couldn't miss, and after 67 minutes Chelsea were 3-1 up and in complete control of the tie.

Three away goals? Liverpool were surely down and out.

There was no way they could come to Stamford Bridge and score three goals. No way...until Bolton Wanderers did exactly that three days after the Champions League tie.

Chelsea had battered Bolton from the outset, but struggled to find a way through until Michael Ballack's goal five minutes before half-time.

The home side added to their lead with two goals from Drogba either side of a penalty from Frank Lampard, before both players were substituted in the 65th minute. Bolton went on to score three goals in eight minutes as Chelsea completely lost control and it truly looked as if they had done their best to throw away a 4-0 lead at home.

This was three days before the next leg of the Quarter Final against Liverpool, where they held a 3-1 aggregate lead.

Apprehensive optimism was the mood of the evening, and both teams had chances to take an early lead. It was Liverpool who struck first however, as Aurelio stunned Chelsea's defence with his free kick.

The back four were in trouble again 10 minutes later as Alonso was hauled down in the box by first leg hero Ivanovic, and proceeded to score from the resulting penalty. Down 2-0 at half-time Chelsea were still going through, but Liverpool had proven that the contest was far from over.

Five minutes after the break, Chelsea were gifted a goal as Reina appeared to throw the ball into his own net from the softest of shots from Didier Drogba.

It was Liverpool's turn to be stunned as Alex scored a superb free-kick from 25 yards after 57 minutes and it look to be game over soon after as Lampard forced the ball over the line in the 76th minute. 3-2 on the night, 6-3 on aggregate, Chelsea were in cruise control.

A mistake by Petr Cech in the 81st minute gave Liverpool an equaliser and they went in front two minutes later after Kuyt was unmarked in the area and headed in to make it 4-3.

This was just silly now.

By the time Lampard equalised with a beautiful strike, I felt I had run the full gauntlet of football related emotions 10 times over. What a game. Chelsea advanced to the Semifinals 7-5 aggregate winners.

Up next was another cup game, this time an FA Cup Semi Final against Arsenal at Wembley, which really is an exceptionally big stadium.

Chelsea followed their recent pattern of going behind only to dominate the game and following Theo Walcott's opener, goals from a markedly improved Florent Malouda and Dider Drogba proved the difference. Everton beat Manchester United the following day to make it an all blue Final.

A frustrating midweek stalemate in the dress rehearsal against Everton and a hard fought 1-0 win away at West Ham followed for Chelsea, who were increasingly focused on the big shiny trophy of the Champions' League.

Chelsea went to Barcelona on May 6 and promptly defended, with a 0-0 score line clearly the desired result. They got their wish, with a confident display suppressing Barcelona's various attacking threats. If only they had been more careful what they wished for.

Following a weekend 3-1 victory over local rivals Fulham, it was Barcelona's turn to visit Stamford Bridge. The tie hung precariously in the balance and a single goal could make all the difference.

The home side went in front early on against the run of play through a Michael Essien volley, a volley of such sublime quality that it rivals Joe Cole's effort against Sweden in the 2006 World Cup.

Chelsea then took the reins and began surging forward with increasing purpose, before the curse of the Champions’ League struck again.

Malouda was held back in the box by Alves, but the referee decided to award a free kick, incorrectly believing the incident to have taken place outside the area.

He missed a second penalty appeal two minutes later when Drogba had his shirt pulled by Abidal, and although the Chelsea man made a bit of a meal of it, it was still a foul in the box.

Never mind, Chelsea were still 1-0 up, and things looked better than ok as they pushed for a second goal. Still 1-0 up after half-time they pushed forward and with Abidal sent off for Barcelona after just over an hour, they appeared to be within flight-booking distance of Rome.

The tension in the stadium heightened as Barcelona began to come back into play and a second goal cushion continued to elude Chelsea.

They needed a break, and that break came as Anelka charged down the middle and turned Pique, looking to be clear through on goal. Then, Pique committed the most blatant handball since the Hand of God, right in front of my eyes.

I could not believe it when a goal kick was given and to this day I cannot fathom what in the world the referee was thinking when he didn't give that penalty.

Barcelona had not had a single shot on target in the match and were looking like being frustrated out of the Champions’ League at the Semi Final stage two years running.

However, in the 93rd minute a cruel twist of fate saw the ball from the same left foot that had scored Chelsea's goal fall to Iniesta, who smashed it home down the centre of the goal. With less than a minute to salvage their dreams of redeeming Moscow with the rematch in Rome, Chelsea threw everything forward with Petr Cech heading back to Ballack from a last chance Lampard corner.

Ballack fired his shot straight and true, and it was beaten away by the arms of Keita.

One the one hand, the defender had only seen it at the last minute—on the other, he beat the ball away with his arms in the penalty area. Nothing given, again.

Ballack's protests were out of control and as the final whistle blew it was as though Mount St. Helens had blown with it.

Barcelona won the tie on away goals and went on to win the Final.

Didier Drogba, having been substituted in the 72nd minute after limping around following a challenge from Toure, sprinted onto the pitch in his flip-flops and screamed obscenities at the referee, and the lens of a TV camera.

The reactions were out of proportion in hindsight, but in that stadium there was a cauldron of noise with a heaping of testosterone and a palpable anticipation, an electricity in the air.

For the fans it was a level of cruelty greater than every one of their previous Champions' League heartbreaks: The phantom goal vs. Liverpool, the incorrect offside vs. Liverpool, the pain of John Terry's slip in Moscow.

It was the ecstasy of Essien's goal, it was the injustice of the unawarded penalties, it was the raw anguish of conceding defeat when victory had been so agonisingly close.

After the midweek trauma came a weekend fixture fought for pride at the Emirates, a game which saw Chelsea reclaim bragging rights after their defeat at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season.

Alex had opened the scoring after 28 minutes with Anelka making it 2-0 before half time. Shortly after the break a Kolo Toure own goal put the game out of the Gunners' reach and Bendtner's goal was little consolation as Malouda made it 4-1 and game over.

Chelsea's last home game of the season was against Blackburn Rovers, and a decidedly more chilled atmosphere combined with goals from Malouda after four minutes and Anelka on the hour to make it a thoroughly pleasant way to end the season at home.

Last game of the season proper was away to Sunderland and it took a while to get going, eventually ending 3-2 to Chelsea, with Ashley Cole capping a fine season with a well deserved and much tried-for goal.

Chelsea finished third in the Premiership behind Liverpool, their lowest finish in six years.

The FA Cup Final was to be Gus Hiddink's last game as temporary first team coach. Cries of "We want you to stay," ironically set to the tune of "We're going to Rome" echoed round Wembley as Chelsea came back from a very early goal by Louis Saha to win the game 2-1 and win the FA Cup again.

More importantly, the result was the right way to thank a manager that had taken on a demoralised, disillusioned team, and turned them back, against all the odds, into exactly what they deserved to be—winners.

Chelsea FC '08/'09 Season Review Part Two: New Year, New Faces

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:25:30 -0400

The New Year did not start well for Chelsea, with a last minute equaliser from Southend forcing a replay in the FA Cup third round tie, an extra fixture that an injury stretched squad and an under pressure manager could scarcely afford to concede.

Things went from bad to worse the following weekend when Chelsea was thoroughly embarrassed at Old Trafford. Manchester United's 3-0 victory was barely contested by Chelsea, whose frustration was evident to any spectator.

The cup replay was another poor game for Chelsea. They went behind on a goal which resulted from a Southend corner, one of about 14 conceded by Chelsea in the whole match.

Going in at half time 1-0 down may have been the final blow for the Blues but the intervention of Michael Ballack on the stroke of half time gave them an inch of breathing room.

Chelsea dominated the second half as the League One side failed to match their fitness levels, and went on to win the game 4-1. However, it was by no means an easy victory.

Chelsea's Premier League form was no better, with a 2-1 victory at home to Stoke made much more difficult that it needed to be. With numerous chances squandered by the home side, Stoke took the lead on the 60th minute and looked very much like getting the win.

The attitude towards the manager had been frosty at best, but that game turned it toward outright hostility as Scolari failed to make any changes to the failing tactics of the team.

Belletti's goal in the 88th minute to salvage what fans thought was a point, brought jubilation.

When Lampard's winner went in in the 94th minute it felt like we'd won a cup.

In the fourth round of the FA Cup, Chelsea were once again at home to lower league opposition, this time in the form of Championship side Ipswich Town. Once again the sides were level at 1-1 at half time.

Again, it was the fitness levels, as well as Frank Lampard and a Michael Ballack double, that saw the game end 3-1 to Chelsea.

It was looking as if there was no longer anything particularly special about a side which last season had competed in one of the best Champions League Finals in living memory, and had battled back to contest a league that had seemed all but lost.

A 2-0 home win against Middlesboro was followed by a 2-0 loss at Anfield, a result which saw even third place in the league looking doubtful, as Chelsea's performances continued their downhill slide.

Finally, a stalemate at home to Premiership newcomers Hull City broke the camel's back, and Luiz Felipe Scolari was relieved of his duties as first team coach. He became the third manager to part company with the club in two years.

One of his last actions as coach had been to sign Ricardo Quaresma on a half-season loan from Inter Milan. This seemed to me to be a work of genius, as he is an exciting player who would have brought an extra dimension to a side that looked flat at best.

However, he was not given a chance and ended up seeing out his loan spell in the reserve side, a disappointing waste of time and talent.

Temporary replacement manager Guus Hiddink, on the other hand turned out to be neither disappointing nor a waste of time.

The change in the attitude of the team was immediately noticeable as they played as if with a new wind during their 3-1 win over Watford in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Whilst Ray Wilkins was acting as caretaker manager for the game, Hiddink had already been introduced to the squad, and his influence was apparent.

Whilst scintillating displays were still not forthcoming, Chelsea's work rate improved dramatically with the arrival of the new manager. Their renewed focus saw them win the Champions' League first knockout stage 1-0 against Juventus, sandwiched between a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa and a 2-1 home win over Wigan.

A seemingly revitalised Drogba secured the only goal of the game against Portsmouth on March 3. He was on target again in Chelsea's next two games, a 2-0 victory over Coventry in the cup and a 2-2 away draw with Juventus.

Drogba's goal in Turin was reminiscent of Bob Dylan in 1963, with fans left wondering "how many times must a ball cross the line, before it is given as a goal?"

The draw was enough to secure a 3-2 aggregate win for Chelsea, setting up a Quarter Final clash with Liverpool. Fatalistic Chelsea fans were beginning to sense a theme emerging.

However, "The Bison" had returned in the form of Michael Essien, who had capped his return to the side following six months out injured with a goal in Turin, a goal he virtually repeated against Man City in the league the following week.

Essien proved immediately just how essential he is to Chelsea's midfield and his return, combined with Hiddink's determination and football sense, brought life to a team that just a few weeks previously had appeared on the brink of total failure.

The Premiership had been out of Chelsea's hands for a while up to this point, and it became a battle with Liverpool for second place alone after a 1-0 loss to Tottenham, despite the subsequent 2-0 victory over relegation candidates Newcastle.

While the League was a long shot, it seemed that with Hiddink there was a real chance of silverware at Stamford Bridge, possibly even the big one. I mean the really big one.

Chelsea FC '08-'09 Season Review Part One: It Started Off So Well...

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:37:41 -0400

Another turbulent season at Stamford Bridge is behind us, and what a season it was. From the giddy heights of the beginning, to the crushing defeat at the hands of Barcelona, the '08-'09 season was another chapter in the high drama that has coloured the recent history of Chelsea FC.

It began with hope and promise at Stamford Bridge with a 4-0 annihilation of Portsmouth, followed by a solid away performance against Wigan, and despite the subsequent disappointing home draw to London rivals Tottenham, the season was looking bright for Chelsea as they sat atop the league.

They faced Man United at Stamford Bridge on Sept. 21, off the back of a 3-1 away win at Man City, and having had the red card that was shown to John Terry rescinded. This was the first real test of Scolari's new attacking Chelsea, and at first it seemed he'd paid the price for his forward-thinking style of management.

United took the lead on 18 minutes and seemed content to sit back and let Chelsea bring the game to them, displaying some fine counter-attacking skill. Chelsea recovered at half time and began pressing United harder, until eventually Kalou made the breakthrough in the 80th minute. It was a game filled with chances but ultimately both teams cancelled each other out. The result meant that United returned to the top of the league.

Their return has short lived however, as Chelsea went on to take maximum points from their next two games, both 2-0 victories over Stoke and Aston Villa, followed by a 5-0 mauling of Middlesboro at the Riverside.

In the opening game of Chelsea's League Cup campaign they were drawn against Portsmouth, and proceeded to hand out another 4-0 drubbing courtesy of a Lampard double and a goal apiece from Malouda and Kalou.

The Champions’ League group stage started much the same, with Bordeaux this time on the receiving end of a four goal thrashing at the hands of the Blues. Minnows CFR Cluj proved a tougher nut to crack, with Chelsea failing to break the deadlock in Romania, followed by a hard fought 1-0 win at home to Roma.

By mid-October Chelsea were unbeaten in the league and were continuing to build on their record of 86 unbeaten home league games. That all changed with the visit of Liverpool on Oct. 26.

The Reds went in front after 10 minutes after Alonso's shot was deflected past Cech and try as they might, Chelsea could not find a way back into the game. For the first time in well over four years, the Blues had been beaten in front of their home fans. Despite subsequent wins of 3-0 away at Hull and 5-0 at home to Sunderland, Chelsea's resolve had been shaken badly and the cracks were beginning to show.

Scolari was increasingly criticised for his apparent lack of a 'Plan B’ and Chelsea were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Roma in the away leg of the Champions’ League group stage. They were then held to a scrappy 1-1 draw in Bordeaux before struggling to a 2-1 win over CFR Cluj, and finished second in the group behind Roma, a result which left them in danger of drawing a top-seeded team in the first knock-out round.

November also saw an early exit from the Carling Cup with a defeat on penalties to Championship side Burnley, and while Chelsea were still top of the Premier League, their form was deteriorating fast.

A 0-0 draw with Newcastle and a 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion hardly stopped the rot, and the 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal added weight to the speculation that Scolari had to find a new winning way or it would be the highway for him. More disappointment was to follow with draws becoming a fixture on the results table, 1-1 with West Ham followed by 0-0 at Everton and a 2-2 thriller at Fulham, interspersed with 2-0 wins over Bolton and West Bromwich Albion, the league's bottom side.

Performances, which had at the start of the season been incandescent, lost their lustre and coupled with the problem of both short and long term injuries to key players, Chelsea were left to watch as Man United edged further away at the top of the league. The New Year, with all the transfer window possibilities it could bring, could not come soon enough at Stamford Bridge

Scolari Sacked As Chelsea Look To a Familiar Face To Stop The Rot

Rowanne Westhenry — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:16:35 -0500

"You don't know what you're doing!"

This is the chant that has been echoing around Stamford Bridge with increasing frequency and volume in recent weeks.

After a seriously bad run of form in the league, Luiz Felipe Scolari was today released from his duties as head coach at Chelsea Football Club, making him the third manager to be sacked by the club in less than 18 months.

Whilst it was painfully obvious he was living on borrowed time, I don't feel that this is the right point in the season to sack the manager. It puts more pressure on a club which is already teetering precariously on the precipice of missing out on Champions League football next season.

Much speculation is being bandied as to why someone of the calibre of Scolari failed where so many others, excluding the Special One, have, err, failed as well. The big one seems to have been Scolari's inability to adapt to club management after such a long spell in the international game.

I would accept that as a reason for his failure, but then why have Chelsea shortlisted Guus Hiddink? He has been the manager of the Russian national team since 2006.

Whilst Hiddink was successful at PSV Eindhoven between 2002-05, he has been very hit and miss at the other clubs he has managed, and his major success has come at international level. This would seem like a ridiculous appointment, although not quite as ridiculous as asking Avram Grant to return.

Grant was brought in on a three year deal, but everybody saw his appointment for what it was: a stop-gap measure until a better prospect came along. I feel it is insulting to him to ask him to come back and essentially do the same again, and I think he'd be a mug to accept the job after the way he was treated.

He took Chelsea to the Champions League final and was repaid with the sack. Go to Portsmouth Avram, it'll be a better place for you.

In my opinion, the performances that have led Chelsea from the giddy heights at the start of the season to where they are now can be place squarely on the shoulders of the team. It's essentially the same team that began this campaign by consistently scoring three, four, or five goals a game—the only notable absences being Michael Essien and Joe Cole.

So what changed? The manager was the same, the tactics were working in the beginning, so what sparked the chain of events that has left Chelsea fans speculating as to who will be in charge yet again? You'll have to ask the boys in blue if you want the answer to that. If you get it, let me know.

Scolari v. Mourinho: The Eggs and Omelette Debate

Rowanne Westhenry — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:27:21 -0400

Chelsea are currently in the midst of what some might call an injury crisis. A minimum of seven first-choice first team players are out injured, leaving Luis Felipe Scolari without much choice in his team sheet, or so you would think.

He was quick to point out however, that he has 24 talented players to choose from—so any problem is imagined.

This is in stark contrast to Jose Mourinho who, when faced with a similar "crisis", came up with an exceptionally long winded analogy about eggs and omelettes:

"It's all about omelettes and eggs. No eggs, no omelette. And it depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket, you have eggs class one, class two, class three. Some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

Jose Mourinho was Chelsea's most successful manager to date and as such will always hold a place in the hearts of the fans. His attitude however, is one thing we can live without. Mourinho loved himself, and with good reason, but Scolari loves the game.

I feel that his leadership this season has been the major difference in Chelsea's game. Instead of grinding out 1-0 wins, they have been beating teams by four and five goals, and that is the norm rather than the exception.

People were initially wary of Scolari's ability to manage in the Premier League due to the large time gap since he last managed at club level.

What these critics were forgetting was that Scolari led the Brazillian team to victory at the World Cup in 2002 and Portugal to a Euro final in 2004 and a fourth place finish at the 2006 World Cup. While there aren't many managers who can boast at having coached both Ronaldos, and neither Brazil nor Portugal are short of home-grown footballing talent, Scolari had only previously worked at club level in Brazil and Kuwait.

For those reasons, combined with his lack of proficiency with the English language, Scolari was seen as a bit of a wild card by many. These people have been proved wrong as Scolari has made the team about the game again. Any language barriers are torn down by the expressive nature of his communication, and the man talks sense.

Rather than bringing the media circus to the dressing room and courting controversy, Scolari commands respect from all those around him, including the journalists who "hounded" Mourinho.

His passion for the game has made a noticeable impact on the squad, not just the style of play, but the attitude of the players as well.

Chelsea fans have been gaining confidence for many years about the quadruple but now, having seen the squad settled in and hiccups dealt with, I think we can be more confident than ever. Even fans of rival clubs are admitting, albeit grudgingly, that Chelsea are looking very, very good this season.

So Mourinho may have been the Special One, but Scolari is the Sensible One. Let's hope this shows that common sense will finally prevail.

Chelsea's Reality Check Lost in the Post

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:55:25 -0400

Since the takeover of Chelsea FC by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in 2003, there are plenty of people who have held their breath, waiting for the club to fail.

After Mourinho's departure at the start of last season, and our subsequent failure to bring home any silverware, those people must have been rubbing their little hands together with glee.

They started a bit too soon though.

Since the appointment of Luiz Felipe Scolari as head coach, and with the addition of a few more world-class players, the Blues are finally realising the potential they have held for the best part of five years.

It's been a frustrating time since the takeover.

I remember before word broke that we were the richest club in the world, when I was ecstatic that we'd qualified for the Champions League so we could get some TV money to buy grass for the pitch, and possibly a midfielder to boot.

All of a sudden there was a new guy in charge, and he was throwing money away like it was toilet paper. We jumped on the let's rob West Ham's talent bandwagon, bagging a bargain in Joe Cole.

So many names were being banded around, I know I am not alone in being greatly disappointed that the biggest names we have been able to attract in the last few years have been Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko, both of whom have best before dates that expired before they arrived at Chelsea.

While back-to-back titles in 2004-05 and 2005-06 showed what the cash injection had done for the club, a lack of pace and a lot of sloppy play has hindered us for the past year or so.

Scolari has turned that around. He's turned us from 1-0 to the boring Chelski, to a side that are scoring three or four goals on a fairly consistent basis, and I'm loving it.

The creativity that Deco has brought to a slightly jaded midfield has given us the edge we have been missing. We're playing the game the way it should be played and it's uplifting to see the squad finally fulfilling its potential.

Even the loss of Michael Essien for six months can't put a damper on things.

The players are enjoying it as much as the fans and we're still capable of getting results when we're not on top of our game. Salvaging a point from the United game proved that one, in case there was any doubt.

Our record of 85 games unbeaten at home in the league speaks for itself, and it shows little sign of ending any time soon.

During the Mourinho years there was so much focus on him, his ego and his attitude that it made him bigger than the team. While he is, and will be for a while yet, our most successful manager who brought us those back-to-back titles, he made it about him rather than the game and that was slightly disquieting. He spoke of being told who to pick by Abramovich, another factor in the queasy-stomach feeling.

Avram Grant was the complete opposite of the vibrant personality of Mourinho. With his "toad of toad hall" countenance, he looked constantly bored by the game and, again, did not create a consistent, stable atmosphere at the club. Many saw him as a pawn put in place by Abramovich so that he could see his multi-million pound signings in action, right for the team or not.

Scolari has the perfect balance of passion and poise. He is an excellent communicator and seems to have instilled a more positive mentality within the Chelsea camp. It has been many years since I have heard any manager talk as much sense as Scolari and that, combined with his professional attitude and his passion for the game, will be the deciding factor in our season.

So, thank you Mr Abramovich. Thank you for the silverware, the cash-flow and the players. One thing though; please let this manager do his job. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Sing When You're Winning (Or Losing)

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:32:54 -0400

As supporters of the beautiful game, we all want to see magic football played. We want to watch skill, class, and goals galore.

However, if all you want to do is watch, I am of the opinion that there are better ways to do it than going to the game. You could sign up for a sports channel package, or go to the pub.

As far as I'm concerned, if you go to the game, you are there to support your team. Whether by singing, shouting, or generally helping to create a cauldron of noise, you are the 12th man (sorry ladies). Having a chat with your mate does not constitute support.

I sat in the East Stand at Stamford Bridge last weekend and it was practically silent. We were out sung by the vastly outnumbered Tottenham fans. That is not on.

On the opening day of the season against Portsmouth, the Chelsea fans were making all the noise and you could see on the faces of the players that it was having an effect. The fact that we couldn't replicate that two weeks later against our most bitter rivals is a cause for concern.

People say they go because they enjoy the atmosphere. If you're not contributing to it, how can you enjoy it? If the crowd is flat, the team will respond to that. If they're playing at home and can only hear the away fans, what effect do you think that has on them?

The players need us as much as we need them and it's time we all stood up and were counted.

So, if you're going to see your team, whatever division you play in, whether win lose or draw, sing. Sing the songs the fans have sung for years, shout encouragement to your players, whatever.

Just make some effing noise.

You Can't Predict the Unpredictable: Premier League 08/09

Rowanne Westhenry — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:17:12 -0400

Despite perfectly acceptable football substitutes being available, and enjoyed, the last 13 weeks have dragged for me. This is due entirely to the lack of Premiership football. There is no other competition quite like it—and I've missed it.

I've missed the butterflies watching the teams walk out of the tunnel, the noise, the songs, the roar of the crowd, the shouting at the ref, the banter with the opposition.

I've missed the joy at watching a spectacular play come together, fighting the urge to hide before every set-piece, the scarf-chewing moments where you just pray that it goes right. I've even missed the dismay of conceding a goal.

I've missed the talk of tactics, the armchair-managing, the half-time discussion of what needs to be done.

I've missed the "ooohs" the "aaaahs" and the oh-so-nearlys. The last-ditch defending, the goal line clearances, the saves, the spills, the fumbles, the misses, I've even missed the posts.

I've missed the goals; the volleys, the overheads, the headers, the tap-ins, the long-range shots, the 'keepers punt, the team efforts, and most especially the last-minute winners.

The weekly drama that unfolds in grounds around the country is entirely unpredictable. I'll give it a go though: Chelsea all the way.

Nobody can know anything for sure other than this: we're all mighty glad it's back.

Tottenham Are Looking Rather Tasty

Rowanne Westhenry — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:00:21 -0400

As the '08-'09 season looms ever closer, for the first time in many years there are several teams outside of the "Big Four" that have a chance of bagging a Champions League place for '09-'10. The most notable of these is Tottenham Hotspur, who have exemplified English footballing success in the past but have struggled in recent years.

Having been brought up by a 'Spurs fan, I have heard many a tale about the glory days of Jimmy Greaves (who also played for Chelsea), Ossie Ardilles, and Ricky Villa. Tottenham were the first English team to win a major European trophy and are the only team to have been promoted to the top division in one season and then go on to win it the next year.

However nice it is to have that history, Tottenham fans are sick of living in the past and have watched countless squads of very talented players be outclassed by the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal—with Chelsea piling into that mix relatively recently.

They may have won the Carling Cup last year against a Chelsea side that didn't turn up, but that is nothing compared to their past glories.

In Juande Ramos, Tottenham may have finally found the man they need to whip a talented team into shape. He's already effected a regime change on the training ground as well as bringing in a new diet for the whole squad. Everyone has lost weight and picked up a bit of pace.

Preseason games mean nothing when it comes down to it, but the performances put in by Tottenham during the close-season have been impressive and are bound to boost the confidence of many players—especially Darren Bent.

A lot was made of his transfer to White Hart Lane last year, but he failed to impress in his first season. However, having scored nine goals in four games in preseason, he should be brimming with confidence as Aug. 16 approaches.

David Bentley was another good buy. A right-footed midfielder, he can bend it better than Beckham and is always a threat down the wing. He was immense for Blackburn Rovers and now that he is playing for his boyhood team he will be even more motivated to win.

If they can hang on to Dimitar Berbatov, Tottenham will have it made. Aaron Lennon is deadly with his pace and Michael Dawson appears to have stopped flinching every time the ball comes near him, which is useful for a centre-back.

The only two causes for concern are a weakened strike force, with the loss of Jermaine Defoe to Portsmouth in January and the recent sale of Robbie Keane to Liverpool, and the continuing injury problems of captain Ledley King.

King is a rock at the back and when he plays, the team appear to be far more explosive going forward, knowing he is there to pick up the pieces at the back. However, the last few years have seen him plagued with injury after injury and I don't see a way back for him.

Choices for a new captain are limited, as there are few players in the Tottenham squad with the authority to control a game. But if Jonathon Woodgate can control his temper a little bit he could become a great leader.

As far as strikers go, the will they/won't they saga involving Andrei Arshavin seems to have cooled, which is a shame as the diminutive Russian really impressed at Euro 2008 and would be a good pairing for Dimitar Berbatov. The transfer window is open until Aug. 31 so there's still time to get your wallet out, Mr. Levy.

We'll find out in a few weeks if I'm right, but I reckon Tottenham will definitely be mixing it with the big boys this year. It's been a long time coming.

Nicolas Anelka: "Penalty Miss Was More Difficult For Me Than For John Terry"

Rowanne Westhenry — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:33:30 -0400

Of all the things to come out of that awful night in Moscow, I never dreamed that one of them would be a competition about who feels worse about not winning.

"John is a big player for Chelsea, he has already done something for the club by helping them win so many trophies. I am new so it was more difficult for me."

"I try not to think about it, but it's very hard. Even if I'd scored the penalty I still feel I would have something to prove."

Poor Anelka. I didn't realise it meant so much to him. Especially as he was quoted soon after the match as saying:

“I was asked to be among the five penalty kickers. I said ‘out of the question. I came in almost as right full-back and you want me to kick a penalty?’ Finally I had to go as number seven.”

Obviously being a part of our potential victory meant as much to him as John Terry, who volunteered to take the fifth penalty after Drogba's dismissal.

The fact that "Le Sulk" seemed surprised that he would be expected to take a penalty astounds me.

As a striker, logic would dictate that he would be among the first choices to take a penalty. His primary role on the pitch is to get the ball over the opposition line.

Anelka signed for Chelsea in January this year. John Terry has been at Chelsea since he was 14, in 1994: Terry has played his entire professional career at Chelsea.

By contrast, Nicolas Anelka signed for Arsenal in 1997, left in 1999 and has since played for Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahçe and Bolton Wanderers.

I do not doubt that missing what turned out to be the decisive penalty hurt Anelka. Everyone in the Chelsea squad that night must have felt the pain of losing: that's what happens when you lose.

The fact that Anelka has chosen to take his personal torment and compare it with that of John Terry makes me feel uneasy.

Terry has been our rock, literally, through all of our recent campaigns, even Pre-Abramovich. The passion he has shown for Chelsea time and time again means he has carved out a place in the hearts of fans, especially of my generation, that nobody could replace.

He was courted by Sir Alex Ferguson who wanted him at United, but he chose Chelsea. This was before they were the "Big Four" club they are now.

He was knocked unconscious in the Carling Cup Final against Arsenal in 2007 in a very serious collision with Arsenal's Abou Diaby. After receiving treatment in hospital, he discharged himself in the evening and went to celebrate with the team.

During "The Reading Game" as it will forever be known, he put on a goalkeeper's jersey and gloves and stepped in.

This after Petr Cech had been knocked unconscious and rushed to hospital after a most unseemly knee to the head from Stephen Hunt at the beginning of the game, then in the final minutes, substitute 'keeper Carlo Cudicini suffered a similar fate at the hands of Sionko.

Terry didn't have a single save to make in the 60 seconds or so he was actually in goal, but the point is, he stepped in.

When it comes down to the wire, the one thing Chelsea fans can rely on is that John Terry will be there.

He's played with a broken face, and was playing the Champions League final having dislocated his elbow a few days before in the last game of the season. They'd popped the elbow back in the ambulance and he made them turn round and go back to Stamford Bridge for the end of the match.

For those reasons among many, John Terry is a Chelsea Legend. He has earned respect, from opposition fans and players alike, for the loyalty and passion he shows for the Beautiful Game, every time he plays it.

Anelka's thinly disguised plea for sympathy is pathetic, and just emphasises why he has a reputation for sulking and whinging. A lot.

Who feels worse about losing is not important. What is important is what is taken from that experience and what is done to prevent it from happening again.

I really, really hope that Anelka can make it positive. I know JT will.

"Modern Slavery" & Sepp Blatter: The Fool At The Head Of FIFA

Rowanne Westhenry — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:46:39 -0400

Sepp Blatter is an irresponsible moron. Maybe if he’d read a couple of history books before opening his mouth wide enough to fit both feet in, he might have the teeniest comprehension of what slavery is.

No slaves drove Aston Martens or Lamborghinis. No slaves flew around the world on holidays on private jets. Of the millions of people forcibly removed from their homes and families and made to work in dreadful conditions, I don’t think a single one got paid £120K a week.

Footballers sign a contract, which is legally binding. In any other business, if you want to get out of your contract it takes a lot of legal wrangling and usually involves a large amount of money being extracted from your wallet.

Football clubs are run as businesses these days and I fail to see why players' contracts should be different to those in any other enterprise.

These men are supposed to be professionals. Nobody is making Ronaldo play football for a living.

If he wants to leave Manchester United, maybe he should have grown a pair and spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson, expressing his desire to leave a club that’s just retained the Premier League title and won the Champions’ League.

Sir Alex is not an unreasonable man and has dealt with many a star player wanting to move away. Come to think of it, most of them have ended up at Real Madrid.

If Ronaldo does go, I wouldn’t complain, mainly because I am a Chelsea fan and would love to see Man United lose 42 goals a season. However much I dislike United though, I can’t help but sympathise with the fans who feel betrayed by Ronaldo’s comments.

His behaviour throughout the whole affair has been disgraceful. If I was Sir Alex, I would leave him on the bench to rot for a year, then sell him to Real.

Ronaldo is obviously one of the best players of this generation, if a little light on his feet shall we say, but his readiness to believe his own hype has made his arrogance almost eclipse his talent on the pitch.

Blatter is fanning the flames of Ronaldo’s ever expanding ego. Instead of coming across as a responsible man, who is president of the international governing body of the biggest sport in the world, (sorry America) he looks like a brown-noser.

Nobody likes a brown-noser, and nobody wants a president of anything, whether it’s FIFA or Cheese-Makers of the World, who will pander to the whims of a young man who believes his own hype.

FIFA is in great danger of becoming a laughing stock over this matter. Blatter’s comments were irresponsible, offensive and outside of the remit of his job and should have lead to his immediate dismissal. As it is, he should be replaced as soon as possible.

If Ronaldo does go to Real it would be best for everyone, as Sir Alex wouldn’t be left with an ungrateful bighead who is labouring as a "slave" for the club, and the other 19 teams in the league wouldn’t have to play against the best winger in the world.

Four Is More Than Three, Why Chelsea Need To Win Everything Next Season

Rowanne Westhenry — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:40:10 -0400

As a Chelsea fan of 13 years, I want to see every piece of silverware available arriving at Stamford Bridge next season. This is not because I am greedy, but because I truly believe that we have the players and potential to do it.

The history of the club shows that we have always been plucky underdogs and we'll start next season in the same position, behind Man Utd. We qualified for the Champions League when we didn't have any grass so winning everything when we have billions of pounds at our disposal should be a breeze.

The desire to win everything might also have a tiny bit to do with silencing rowdy Man Utd and Liverpool fans, but only a tiny bit.

We have a squad of internationally top-class players but we have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory numerous times over the last couple of years. Buying more big names is not the answer, as the record of Shevchenko will attest.

We need to buy players who can work with the team, not just because they're pretty or they play well for the club they're at.

While I am happy that Deco has joined us, I do not want him to replace Essien in the starting 11. Deco may be more of a household name but Essien, along with John Terry and Petr Cech, has been the backbone of our team over the last three years.

Having said we need to stop buying big names, I would love to see Kaka be our final signing of the summer.

Having him up front, with Joe Cole in the role of second striker, with a midfield of Malouda, Lampard, Essien and Deco and a back four of Bosingwa (who will bring some much needed pace) Terry, Carvalho and Bridge, with Cech in goal and Ballack, Alex, Cudicini, Ashley Cole, Scott Sinclair and Di Santo on the bench would be my ideal squad for August 17th.

As for any more transfers, they are unnecessary unless they are sales.

I would be happy to see Wright-Phillips go to a club where he would get a regular place in the team, and we need to get rid of Shevchenko, he is too old and has nowhere near enough pace to play in the fastest league in the world. Also, our wage bill is somewhere in the region of £500million.

Even if Ambramovich does own both the biggest and second biggest yachts in the world, that's still a lot of money, and a lot of it is for players who haven't made a single first-team appearance. I hope Scolari will sort the footballing wheat from the very expensive chaff.

We've won the league twice, two doubles of sorts but we're still not quite up there with Liverpool and their five Champions League titles, even though they shouldn't have been in the final for their most recent one, as the ball didn't cross the line. Incidentally, when we knocked them out this year, that wasn't rain falling on Stamford Bridge, it was divine retribution.

Nor are we able to answer Man Utd fans when they mention the treble, even though we hold most of the records available in the Premiership, including most clean sheets, most points gained from a season and most victories in a season.

Chelsea has changed form a mid-table club with one or two stand out players, like Zola, and supporters who expected very little, other than the FA Cup and a decent turnout in the league, to a behemoth of a club with supporters around the world whose desire is to win everything and then win some more.

Those big expectations will he heaped on Big Phil Scolari, whose reputation is almost as mammoth as he is. I hope he can bring us the biggest prize of all—The Quadruple.

Believe and it will happen. I've got money on it.

Which Didier Drogba Will Show Up to Play for Chelsea?

Rowanne Westhenry — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:36:13 -0400

The 08/09 Premiership season kicks off in three weeks time, and like many Chelsea fans, I'm unsure who I'm going to see play against Portsmouth.

It's not the transfer speculation that has caused this uncertainty; it's the erratic performance over the last season of many players, most notably Didier Drogba

At 6-foot-2 and built like a ton of bricks, Drogba has consistently appalled me at the ease with which he goes to ground. If a challenge is bad, make the most of it, any manager would tell you that.

However, blatant diving brings the club and the game as a whole into disrepute, as well as leading to looks of utter consternation when a truly bad challenge goes unpunished. It's the 'boy who cried wolf' principle, Didier.

His constant challenging of referees' decisions further undermines his undisputed talent. Last season, a rule was brought in to prevent the intimidation of officials by players, whereby only the captain could speak to the referee.

Didier Drogba is not Chelsea captain, yet he spent most of last season running after the man in black. His petulance came to a head in the Champions League Final when, two minutes before the game was going to penalties, he slapped Nemanja Vidic in the face, right in front of the referee.

I have had people tell me, "Oh, he barely touched him." The point is, he DID touch him. He raised his hand to an opposition player in the dying minutes of the single most important game my club has ever played.

Drogba's action took us to 10 men, relieving us of one of our first five penalty takers and leaving it to John Terry to step up and take his place in the line-up. I do not blame JT for missing. I blame Drogba for putting him in that position in the first place.

So what now for the Ivorian? He has proven that he can perform in the league; he showed that in 06/07 when he scored 33 goals in all competitions for Chelsea.

But instead of trying to beat that record, he seemed to think that gave him the right to behave as he pleased in 07/08.

That, coupled with his expressed desire to leave the club and his comment after Mourinho's departure that he needed to "find a new source of motivation," have left many fans disillusioned with him.

The question is, can Big Phil Scolari make the difference that is so desperately needed in Drogba's play? He is undoubtedly a very skilled footballer.

His ability to hit a shot on the turn is one of the best I've ever seen, and on the rare occasions he uses his strength, he can beat anybody.

If Scolari can extract a true professional from under the pouting exterior exhibited by Drogba, we could well be on to a winner.

For now, though, if Drogba left Stamford Bridge, I wouldn't shed a single tear.